MLB Power Rankings: The readers have spoken and the Phillies stay on top, Pirates level up (2024)

By Stephen J. Nesbitt, Andy McCullough and Kaitlyn McGrath

Every week,​ we​ ask a selected group of our baseball​ writers​ — local and national — torank the teams from first to worst. This week is different.

Here at the Power Rankings Department, we recognize your frustration. We can read the comments. We have tried to explain that this weekly exercise is an inexact science, but we understand that many of you believe it can be too inexact. It is pretty much impossible to rank all 30 clubs each week in a fashion that doesn’t upset certain fan bases (especially those located in Cleveland and greater Cuyahoga County).

So we figured, for one week, we could turn the ranking over to you, the readers. That’s right. You can rage in the comments all you want about these rankings. But they didn’t come from us, they came from over 300 of you. These are your responsibility.

[Editor’s note: Though the majority of entries appeared to be submitted in good faith, there were a few chaos agents who attempted to influence the rankings by doing things like, say, placing the Chicago White Sox first or voting the major rival of their No. 1 pick in last place. It was a nice try.]

As a wise man once said, if you gaze far enough into the Power Rankings Abyss, the Power Rankings Abyss gazes back into you.

For our part, we’ve provided a second-half outlook for each team. The trade deadline is approaching. The postseason race is coming into focus. It’s all happening.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 63-37
Last Power Ranking: 1

Reader average: 1.53

It will be interesting to see how Dave Dombrowski, an executive who will go into Cooperstown one day in part because of his willingness to take big swings, plays this coming trade deadline. The Phillies are stacked. The rotation includes four pitchers who could appear on Cy Young Award ballots. The lineup overflows with All-Stars. Dombrowski could stand pat and feel confident about his team’s chances in October. Or he could go big and pursue a center-field upgrade like Luis Robert Jr. It would cost a lot. But that’s never stopped Dealer Dave before. — McCullough

2. Baltimore Orioles

Record: 60-39
Last Power Ranking: 2

Reader average: 2.54

Mike Elias made a blockbuster trade on the eve of spring training when he acquired former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes from Milwaukee. Burnes has provided exactly what Baltimore expected in his first and likely only season as an Oriole. A series of injuries to the rotation has forced Elias to trawl the market once more for upgrades. The Orioles need pitching to hold off the Yankees and the Red Sox in the American League East and improve the club’s chances of a deep October run. Good news for Charm City: The Orioles still have a deep farm system and plenty of prospects available. It’s going to be a busy week for them. — McCullough

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record: 60-41
Last Power Ranking: 3

Reader average: 3.76

Everything is relative, so while the Dodgers’ eight-and-a-half-game lead in the NL West looks sunny compared to that of, say, the plight of the Blue Jays, when a team is pursuing greatness to the extent the Dodgers are, every flaw comes under intense scrutiny. Shohei Ohtani has been expectedly great, blasting his 30th home run of the season a whopping 473 feet over the weekend, but the team has had to deal with significant injury issues, including to several starters as well as superstar Mookie Betts. Their top-heavy lineup has been exposed and their bullpen has shown signs of wear and tear.

That means that even with a billion dollars already invested into the team, the Dodgers still have a lot to address at the trade deadline. As Fabian Ardaya noted, starting pitching is at the top of their shopping list, but finding another impact bat is a need, as well. As the season winds down, the Dodgers’ goal will be positioning themselves to be at their best for October. —McGrath

4. Cleveland Guardians

Record: 59-40
Last Power Ranking: 4

Reader average: 4.55

The Guardians are still nursing a comfortable lead in the AL Central, but it’s not nearly as large as they’d like. They entered the week having lost 13 of their past 21 games. They faced Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in a series opener Monday to start a difficult stretch of the schedule. Cleveland will see both Skubal and Jack Flaherty this series, head to Philadelphia to play the team with the best record in baseball, meet the Tigers (and Flaherty) again and then host the Orioles and Diamondbacks before a showdown with the second-place Twins in early August. There’s no better time for the Guardians’ front office to improve this roster. A starter, a bat, another bat. The worst offenses in the league in July, by OPS, are the Guardians and the White Sox. One of those isn’t like the other. — Nesbitt

5. New York Yankees

Record: 60-42
Last Power Ranking: 5

Reader average: 6.12

The problem with the Yankees’ offense is precisely what even the knuckleheads in the Power Rankings Department could predict before the season: Outside of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, they don’t employ any elite hitters. Just ask former Yankee Luis Severino. Brian Cashman is expected to seek upgrades at second base, third base, and in the outfield. Any help would be useful. The team has the stars. It needs to find the supporting cast. Yankees fans have been clamoring for Cashman to act. Now is the time. — McCullough

6. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 57-43
Last Power Ranking: 6

Reader average: 6.54

The NL Central is a weird division at the moment. The only teams with a positive run differential entered the week in first (Brewers) and last place (Reds). In between are teams that stunk until mid-May (Cardinals), are white hot despite having one of the worst offenses in baseball (Pirates), and have massively disappointed but remain in sight of a playoff spot (Cubs).

The Brewers, looking for their sixth postseason trip in seven years, have led the division since April. They have a diverse lineup, an ace and an elite bullpen. They already have acquired Aaron Civale and will surely look to add at the margins this week, though they’re unlikely to make a splash. —Nesbitt

7. Atlanta Braves

Record: 54-45
Last Power Ranking: 7

Reader average: 7.50

If Braves fans weren’t already positive this season has been cursed, Ozzie Albies’ wrist fracture and Max Fried’s forearm injury made it official. A year that included major injuries for Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. just got worse. But don’t expect Alex Anthopoulos to spend the deadline singing the blues. Everyone remembers what happened in 2021, another second half played without Acuña. If Fried’s condition is minor, the team still has excellent starting pitching. The lineup has plenty of latent power, even if it’s been in hiding for much of the season. A long October run is still possible. —McCullough

8. Houston Astros

Record: 52-48
Last Power Ranking: 9

Reader average: 9.09

It was a baffling first half for the Astros. Out of the gate, they struggled mightily and by May 11, they were last in the division — yes, even below the A’s. But since June, the Astros have looked more like, well, the Astros and have gone 27-14, climbing up to sit tied for first with the Mariners.

The Astros will try to carry their recent momentum into the second half and hold onto the division lead. (If Yordan Alvarez, who hit for the cycle on Sunday, stays as hot as he’s been lately, that will help.) To keep winning, Houston will have to address its need for starting pitching at the trade deadline, but that task will be complicated by the club’s luxury-tax situation. — McGrath

9. Minnesota Twins

Record: 55-44
Last Power Ranking: 8

Reader average: 9.29

While the Guardians have scuffled in July, the Twins have struggled to make up any ground as they’ve dealt with one injury after another — Royce Lewis, Kyle Farmer, Jose Miranda, Carlos Correa, Chris Paddack, then Kody Funderburk. They entered the week in possession of a wild-card spot, but the Royals have caught up, and the Red Sox and Mariners are awfully close behind. Now the best-in-the-land Phillies are in town before Minnesota hits a softer stretch of schedule. The Twins will likely shop lightly at the trade deadline, expecting their more significant upgrades will come in the form of injured guys getting healthy. Not a popular approach, but a common one. — Nesbitt

10. Kansas City Royals

Record: 56-45
Last Power Ranking: 13

Reader average: 10.36

The New York Mets were on the clock in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. That round no longer exists. But it did then. The Mets picked a geology major out of Centenary College in Shreveport, La. He had a 5.45 ERA for the Centenary Gentlemen. Standard candidate for pick No. 1,032.

Thus began the pro career of one of the unlikeliest aces in the game today: Seth Lugo. Lugo has always wanted to start. The industry doubted the effectiveness he showed as a starter in San Diego last season, so the Royals scooped him up for a relative bargain. Now, after his first complete game, Lugo leads the league in wins (12), ERA (2.38) and innings pitched (136).

All of that is to say the 2024 Royals are a delight, and are battling for a wild-card slot to fulfill this Gentleman’s destiny as a Game 1 starter. — Nesbitt

11. Boston Red Sox

Record: 53-46
Last Power Ranking: 10

Reader average: 11.05

Despite getting swept by the Dodgers to start the second half, the Red Sox have bulled their way into the American League East race. They might not have the horses to leapfrog both the Orioles and the Yankees, but the club looks strong enough to compete with the Twins, Royals, Astros and Mariners for a wild-card spot. Consider it progress for a franchise that won 78 games in each of the previous two seasons. Craig Breslow, the club’s new chief baseball officer, has signaled the team will add at the deadline. Like the Orioles and the Dodgers and a lot of contenders, the team needs a starter. Unlike the Orioles and the Dodgers, though, the team’s postseason position is less assured, which could make Breslow reticent to part with a significant haul of prospects. We’ll see what happens. — McCullough

12. Seattle Mariners

Record: 53-49
Last Power Ranking: 11

Reader average: 12.12

It’s been a familiar story for the Mariners this season. The starting rotation, led by All-Star Logan Gilbert, is the best in the American League (per ERA). But the offense has been among the worst. Through 101 games, their lineup ranks 28th in runs scored. The team’s woeful offense has led to a freefall in which Seattle squandered a 10-game lead in the AL West on June 18 to sit tied for first with the Astros before Monday’s games.

The Mariners’ front office is under pressure, and they’re already making moves, including placing former All-Star first baseman Ty France on outright waivers on Sunday, according to reports. The task for president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander is to add offense at the deadline — Luis Robert Jr. and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are two bats available — and try to do enough to hold onto a playoff spot. Otherwise, the Mariners may squander a rotation built for a deep postseason run. —McGrath

13. St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 52-48
Last Power Ranking: 14

Reader average: 14.48

I’m gonna need Nelly to rate Alec “Biscuit” Burleson’s college rap tracks, but if the kid keeps hitting like this his East Carolina album will undoubtedly go platinum. Burleson was in and out of the Cardinals’ lineup in April. Since May 7 he’s batting .311 with 16 homers and seven steals, leading a club that was buried in the standings and desperate for barrels while Willson Contreras was out. St. Louis has surged to second place and is putting pressure on Milwaukee, having nearly swept Atlanta coming out of the All-Star break.

The Cardinals could use a right-handed rental bat, but nothing would lengthen their lineup like a second-half bounceback from Paul Goldschmidt. He so far has batted .206 against right-handed pitching and .286 against lefties. The power is still there, but strikeouts are way up and walks are way down. — Nesbitt

14. San Diego Padres

Record: 52-50
Last Power Ranking: 12

Reader average: 14.72

If anything, the Padres can be counted on to be entertaining. The club, led by mad scientist GM A.J. Preller already has pulled off the two biggest trades this season, acquiring Dylan Cease in March and landing Luis Arraez in May. The Padres were uneven in the first half and have been hurt by injuries, but they’ve stayed in contention and are among six teams within 3 1/2 games of the third NL wild-card spot.

With an urgency to win, the Padres are in a position to buy at the deadline. They need to address their pitching staff — both their rotation and bullpen — but after years of blockbuster moves, their prospect depth has been spent, so Preller may need to set his sights lower than Garrett Crochet or Tarik Skubal. The stakes are especially high for the Padres in the second half because if they miss the postseason, Preller’s job could be on the line, according to Dennis Lin. — McGrath

15. Arizona Diamondbacks

Record: 51-50
Last Power Ranking: 15

Reader average: 15.10

After their surprise run to the World Series last year, the Diamondbacks heavily invested in their roster this season. But injuries to their pitchers and underperformance hit Arizona hard, leading to an uneven first half. But the Diamondbacks have gone 26-17 since the start of June and that’s been enough to put the club back into the thick of a crowded NL wild-card race.

The Athletic recently reported that the D-Backs’ clubhouse is “brimming with confidence” and GM Mike Hazen intends to buy at the trade deadline, per the Arizona Republic, with addressing the bullpen a priority. The team showed last year that when they get hot, they can beat just about any team, after bouncing the Phillies, Dodgers and Brewers from the postseason. If they can bolster their bullpen, they could be the NL team to watch out for in the second half. — McGrath

16. New York Mets

Record: 51-48
Last Power Ranking: 16

Reader average: 16.11

Despite splitting a series this past weekend against the lowly Marlins, the Mets have clawed their way back into the postseason picture, and figure to make a hearty run at a wild-card spot. Responsibility for the revival belongs, in part, to 34-year-old utility infielder Jose Iglesias, who has flirted with a .400 batting average while providing the song of the summer at Citi Field. The lineup looks formidable, especially if Mark Vientos can maintain this pace and Francisco Alvarez can stay healthy. The expected return of Kodai Senga, who is expected to return this week after a 79-pitch Triple-A rehab appearance on Saturday, could bolster the pitching staff. The bullpen was run ragged before the break, and the rotation lacks a top-tier starter. — McCullough

17. Pittsburgh Pirates

Record: 51-49
Last Power Ranking: 21

Reader average: 17.05

The Pirates are, all of a sudden, one of the most compelling watches in baseball. While Paul Skenes is the rotation’s household name, Pittsburgh has formed a formidable foursome with Skenes, Mitch Keller, Luis L. Ortiz and Jared Jones. They have the arms to win a wild-card series. But the bats? A total mystery.

Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds are good, solid hitters. Oneil Cruz has pop. Cruz’s .303 on-base percentage is a concern, though, and even more concerning is that it’s better than Rowdy Tellez, Nick Gonzales, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jack Suwinski. When more than half the lineup can’t get on base, it’s not hard to see where upgrades are possible. The Buccos, who just took a series from Philadelphia, will be buyers. What remains to be seen is how aggressive GM Ben Cherington will be in parting with prospects and/or adding salary at the trade deadline. — Nesbitt

18. Tampa Bay Rays

Record: 50-50
Last Power Ranking: 17

Reader average: 18.54

This postseason might be the first since 2018 that won’t feature Tampa Bay. The Rays entered Monday with a winning record despite the 24th-worst run differential in the sport. This is a club that understands the math. They already dealt pitchers Aaron Civale and Phil Maton to clear space on the big-league roster. More deals are expected. There are a bunch of teams clamoring for infielder Isaac Paredes, who won’t become a free agent until 2028. Tampa Bay would require a sizable package to make that move. A more likely trade would involve former postseason star Randy Arozarena, who has been clubbing the baseball since June. — McCullough

19. Texas Rangers

Record: 48-52
Last Power Ranking: 19

Reader average: 18.84

Between injuries and underperformance, the Rangers haven’t been able to mount a convincing title defense. They’re stuck in the middle of the AL West, sitting 7 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot heading into Monday. It’s not an insurmountable deficit if the Rangers got hot quickly, but it’s also far back enough that they might admit this isn’t their year and decide to reload for 2025.

If they choose the latter route, the Rangers have a few pending free-agent pitchers they could consider dealing at the deadline, including Max Scherzer (who would have to waive a no-trade clause), Michael Lorenzen and Andrew Heaney in the rotation and José Leclerc, Kirby Yates and David Robertson in the bullpen. In theory, they could fetch a decent haul for moving on from some of those players without sacrificing their future, Chad Jennings wrote. It might be all about 2025 for the Rangers from here on out. — McGrath

20. San Francisco Giants

Record: 48-53
Last Power Ranking: 18

Reader average: 20.12

As someone who lives on the East Coast, the Giants are a difficult team to follow, literally and figuratively. Their games are on late, sure, but more importantly, they seem to be a team stuck in between — a big market without big stars. A club that’s below .500 yet still in contention (they were three games back of a wild-card spot before play on Monday.) The Giants are not easy to understand, so perhaps it’s appropriate that they enter the trade deadline as a team with three legitimate paths — buy, sell or stand pat.

Giants expert Grant Brisbee, who I’m filling in for this week, guessed they will stand pat. Maybe the Giants can reverse their recent trend this year and be a better second-half club. There is reason to believe things could improve, too, with the return of Blake Snell and, soon, Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb. The Giants are still alive, but perhaps the key objective in the second half will be trying to give a frustrated fan base hope for 2025 and beyond. — McGrath

21. Detroit Tigers

Record: 50-51
Last Power Ranking: 23

Reader average: 20.22

The Tigers vroomed from nine games under .500 earlier this month to the fringe of the wild-card race by knocking off the Reds, Guardians, Dodgers and Blue Jays in succession, losing only three games — each by one run — in that 13-game span. The Tigers now stare down a crucial stretch, as their next 13 games will be against teams ahead of them in the division: Cleveland, Minnesota and Kansas City.

By the end of that stretch, we’ll know how the Tigers elected to proceed at the trade deadline. Though they could conceivably buy, it’s more likely they’ll trade a few veterans — Jack Flaherty, Carson Kelly, Mark Canha — while hanging on to Tarik Skubal and anyone expected to contribute next season. — Nesbitt

22. Chicago Cubs

Record: 49-53
Last Power Ranking: 22

Reader average: 20.67

The Cubs aren’t buying, but they also aren’t likely to sell to the degree that it’ll hinder their chances of winning next season. Cody Bellinger is a possible trade chip, but given his health and his (relatively) complicated contract, he’s likely to stay. Given how impressive and deep the Cubs’ rotation has been so far this season, they could choose to part with one of the returning starters — like Jameson Taillon, who will make $18 million each of the next two seasons — to upgrade the lineup. Chicago has a bottom-10 offense, by OPS. Even when Bellinger is back, the Cubs are a couple of bats short of scaring anybody. — Nesbitt

23. Cincinnati Reds

Record: 48-53
Last Power Ranking: 20

Reader average: 20.86

I’m old enough to remember when the Reds rode a seven-game winning streak into second place in the NL Central way back in June. Since then, they’ve confounded — dropping winnable games, letting series slip away, sweeping the Yanks in the Bronx before coming home to be swept by Detroit. After the Nationals swept ‘em over the weekend, the Reds dropped to last place in the division.

The wild card remains entirely up for grabs. Cincinnati still sits just four games out of playoff position (as of Monday). But the Reds haven’t been the horse to bet on this season, and barring major additions they’ll likely continue to confound. They’re much more fun at full strength. — Nesbitt

24. Washington Nationals

Record: 47-53
Last Power Ranking: 24

Reader average: 23.15

The Nationals are on the fringes of the wild-card chase. So it goes. For a team that won 55 games in 2022, this year still counts as progress. The arrival of James Wood has created some excitement at the ballpark. The middle-infield tandem of CJ Abrams and Luis García Jr. looks like a crucial part of the foundation. And Mike Rizzo will try to spin his $2 million bet on Jesse Winker into some long-term additions at the deadline. — McCullough

25. Toronto Blue Jays

Record: 45-54
Last Power Ranking: 25

Reader average: 23.27

Decision time will soon be upon Ross Atkins. The Blue Jays qualify as the season’s most disappointing club, a group that never quite lived up to its own hype. Folks around the game remain skeptical that Toronto will deal homegrown stars like Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the deadline. (Our man Jim Bowden has advocated for the team either signing both to extensions before July 30 or trading them away.) At the very least, Atkins can move starting pitchers like Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi. It’s not really the end of an era. But it’s time for the Blue Jays to retool. — McCullough

26. Los Angeles Angels

Record: 43-57
Last Power Ranking: 26

Reader average: 25.89

It’s been another largely forgettable season in Anaheim as the Angels sit fourth in the AL West and are well outside of the playoff picture. But the Angels can still make this season a productive one — at least by contributing to their ongoing rebuild — by being aggressive sellers at the deadline. That means the Angels shouldn’t just consider selling rental players, but as Sam Blum wroteif they get the right offers for starters Tyler Anderson and Griffin Canning, outfielder Taylor Ward and infielder Luis Rengifo, all need to be available.

Beyond the deadline, the Angels will be awaiting the return of Mike Trout in the second half. The outfielder has been recovering from a meniscus tear surgery since May, but there is hope he can return by the end of July. If there is a goal in the season’s final two months, the Angels will want to see if Trout, signed through 2030, can return to a version of his former self. — McGrath

27. Oakland Athletics

Record: 40-62
Last Power Ranking: 27

Reader average: 26.34

It’s been a strange season so far for the A’s. The situation off the field — their pending move to Las Vegas and their complicated layover in Sacramento — have largely overshadowed what’s been happening on the field, which has included some positive stories, including the rise of flame-thrower Mason Miller.

The A’s are still a last-place team that will need to continue the rebuilding process, but things haven’t been as dire on the field compared to 2022-23. In that vein, their approach to the deadline will be interesting to watch. For example, Jim Bowden makes a case that the A’s should deal Miller for a package of prospects, but on the flip side, the A’s could hold onto the closer and build around him. Perhaps it’s appropriate that a team with such an unclear future could also have a deadline that’s hard to predict. — McGrath

28. Colorado Rockies

Record: 37-64
Last Power Ranking: 29

Reader average: 27.61

For the third straight season, the Rockies are on pace to finish last in the NL West. They’re still stuck in the abyss of being a non-contender in a seemingly endless rebuild. But can this be the season they truly make the most of an opportunity at the trade deadline and position themselves better for the future?

They have several interesting trade candidates, including catcher Elias Díaz, second baseman Brendan Rodgers and starters Austin Gomber and Cal Quantrill. There would also be interest in third baseman Ryan McMahon but the Rockies are reportedly not interested in moving him. But there are still enough trade chips for the Rockies to execute a deadline that helps them in the future. The main question will be if they can pull it off this time.— McGrath

29. Miami Marlins

Record: 35-65
Last Power Ranking: 28

Reader average: 27.73

The good news? The season is more than halfway complete. The bad news: The Marlins started July much like they started April, losing nine of their first 11 games before the break. As we’ve noted all season, it’s a bleak scene. Skip Schumaker is expected to depart in the offseason. The offense is the worst in the National League. Injuries have wrecked the rotation and limited Peter Bendix’s maneuverability heading into the trade deadline. Bendix will be under pressure to maximize returns on Jazz Chisholm Jr., Josh Bell and Tanner Scott — a group of players with significant red flags for any interested contender. It won’t be easy for Bendix, but he understood the challenge when he left Tampa Bay to run Miami. — McCullough

30. Chicago White Sox

Record: 27-75
Last Power Ranking: 30

Reader average: 29.70

The White Sox are on pace to threaten the modern loss record — the 1962 Mets lost 120, the 2003 Tigers lost 119 — and yet this is the team that’s driving the bus at the trade deadline. Chicago employs several of the most prized trade candidates on the market this summer, from pitchers Garrett Crochet, Erick Fedde, John Brebbia and Michael Kopech to hitters Luis Robert Jr., Tommy Pham and Andrew Vaughn. Just as one free agent can often clog up the offseason cycle, as the industry waits to see where he heads, the speed at which things start to move this week will depend on the White Sox. It’ll all get done eventually. Come one, come all. The White Sox are dealing. Again. — Nesbitt

(Top photo of Oneil Cruz: Joe Robbins / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)